Dept. of Justice Applicants Were Discriminated Against For Politically Views

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-justice-politics,1,414400.story
An internal investigation released Monday shows that applicants for career non-political appointments in the Department of Justice were routinely discriminated against for not being Republicans or "conservative enough". Here's an excerpt from the linked article:
" Former Justice Department officials broke the law by letting Bush administration politics dictate the hiring of prosecutors, immigration judges and other career government lawyers, according to an internal investigation released Monday.
For nearly two years, top advisers to then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales discriminated against applicants for career jobs who weren't Republican or conservative loyalists, the Justice report found.
At times, their search for GOP activists delayed filling judgeships and threatened to clog immigration courts, the report said.
The federal government makes a distinction between "career" and "political" appointees, and it's a violation of civil service laws and Justice Department policy to hire career employees on the basis of political affiliation or allegiance.
Yet Monica Goodling, who served as Gonzales' counselor and White House liaison, routinely asked career job applicants about politics, the report concluded.
"What is it about George W. Bush that makes you want to serve him?" Goodling asked at least some candidates, according to the joint investigation by Justice's Office of Inspector General and Office of Professional Responsibility. Others were asked about their views on abortion and gay marriage.
"It appeared that these topics were discussed as a result of the question seeking information about how the applicant would characterize the type of conservative they were," the report said.
Attorney General Michael Mukasey, who succeeded Gonzales, said he was "of course disturbed" by the findings. He said he would make sure "that the conduct described in this report does not occur again at the department."
Here's more:
"The joint report largely focused on (Monica) Goodling's role in commandeering the hiring process between March 2005 and April 2007, when she resigned.
In one instance, Justice investigators found, Goodling objected to hiring an assistant prosecutor in Washington because "judging from his resume, he appeared to be a liberal Democrat."
In another, she rejected an experienced terror prosecutor to work on counterterror issues at a Justice Department headquarters office "because of his wife's political affiliations," the report said. It also said she rejected at least one job applicant who was rumored to be a lesbian.
Goodling, a former Republican National Committee researcher with little experience as a prosecutor, admitted in House Judiciary Committee testimony last year that she "crossed the lines" while hiring Justice career employees. She received immunity for her testimony, meaning she cannot be prosecuted unless proven that she lied while under oath."
Do you agree with me that if we can't depend on the Department of Justice to follow the law, who can we trust? Would you like to see Ms. Goodling return her law degree and license to practice law to the Cracker Jack company?
Annie

I was wondering when someone was going to post about this. It's been a few weeks since I read about it - but I have to admit I was really taken by surprise. You don't expect to hear that public officials would do such a thing in this day in age.
Ms. Goodling and the people involved should have their license to practice revoked, and never be allowed to practice law in the country again. Discrimination from so high up in this day in age is completely unacceptable.

I think they just issued the final report this week but I'd also heard about it a few weeks ago. It's totally unacceptable and they better do something about it because this kind of thing should not be allowed to ever happen again, no matter which party is in power. Goodling herself admitted she'd "crossed the line" when she testified before Congress awhile back. I think she more than crossed the line, she broke the law and should be dealt with accordingly.
Annie

I believe in her testimony she said she "may" have crossed the line. MAY??? However, if she knew there WAS a line to cross, why did she? Anyone studying law has to also study the constitution! Anyone being hired by the Feds should also be told during orientation that partisanship is NOT permitted by Federal employees - unless this Administration simply left that out of the training process.

I can't help wondering why Federal leadership in DC has such problems with young women named Monica!
OK - that tongue-in-cheek thinking now out of the way, I think the ABA should perhaps request that she take some government policy courses before she renews her license so that she can fully understand and appreciate the intended non-partisan way the government is supposed to operate. When I worked at IRS, even as a peon, I couldn't wear a campaign button supporting my favorite candidate because no partisanship was to ever be expressed by a Federal employee. So, am I wrong in thinking the President, Vice President, Atty General and everyone else in the three branches of government are FEDERAL EMPLOYEES?? Aren't they bound by the same rules and regulations that applied to me, a mere GS-6? Or did I miss something in my Civics class?

I thought the same thing about the name Monica! I'd say more about this Monica, but I'd better not...
I know exactly what you're saying about federal employees, I went through the same thing when I worked at the post office. We weren't allowed to do anything in the least bit political, my one boss even tried to give us grief about bumper stickers we had on our own cars if we parked in the employees' parking lot! I think the entire Bush Administration should go back to Civics class, or maybe they never took one in the first place.
Annie

We're quite the night owls, aren't we Annie? Was just shutting down when the email popped up. he he he
I don't know that sending the ENTIRE lot of the Bush Administration to Civics class would do any good because the older ones who began this trend in the first place have already openly expressed their distaste for the Constitution and any Conventions under which we were bound preferring instead to declare them dated and not applicable. But, the younger ones - they may stand a chance of learning.

It would be nice for her to give up her degree. We all know it will never happen. I think its kind of funny that people are actuallly shocked about this whole thing. For years, African Americans have been going thru it and people werent impressed. Now discrimination is affecting other groups and people are shocked. I am kind of upset about this. I think that companies all over the world have been picking and choosing based on their own prejudices for years and no one was shocked or took a stand to help those who could complain for fear of not being able to take care of their families. Lines have been crossed for centuries. I find it insulting that when it was the little people (as they put it), or hard working middle class america(as I put it) It wasnt a big deal. Now because there is a chance that employees at the Justice Department may have access to media people are jumping on the bandwagon. I am shocked too. Not for what's going on but for the fact that it took the company to be a government agency for anyone to take notice. If you ask me our government needs a total overhaul. DL

I sure do see where you're coming from on this and I agree. The thing that makes this "extra" upsetting is that the Department of Justice is what's there to protect the rest of us from this sort of thing happening so when it's happening right within that agency it's clear we're all $crewed. Let's hope we get that overhaul sooner rather than later!
Annie

An overhaul is just the thing Annie. People think that their support of change wont help. WRONG. Every little bit helps. People tend to lead by example. If a person sees a small business or just an individual being fair to all no matter color, gender, orientation they may follow. I think we have to start somewhere. DL

You are right that if we can't trust the Department of Justice to follow the law than who can we. I think that our government is and always has been full of coruption and it will probably never change unless the people of this country demand the politicans and government officals be held accountable for their actions. We have allowed them to get off with a slap on the wrist for their law breaking actions. If when they were handed their $50 fine for breaking a major law and the American people reacted with an out cry (a protest on the Hill, letters to the editors, petitions and whatnot) of harsher punishment then maybe, just maybe there will be a change but, until then we the people just have to tolerate these actions and come here to complain and get other's to agree with our complaints.
She, Ms. Goodling should be required to give up her law degree as well as face any personal law suits that may come from this employment discrimination.

They can be this stupid but soon they will not have enough people to fill all their positions or worse,good people who would want to apply will assume that they won't get the job Just because they aren't Republican.They will be screwed.I never assumed that the Dept of Justice had anything to do with the law.

It's really bad when the department that's supposed to make sure others don't break these kinds of laws are doing it themselves. The one department of our federal government that's supposed to be non-political for the most part. I mean, of course each President gets to choose his or her own judges but the career appointments aren't supposed to be political at all so even asking someone what party they're in or if they support whoever the current President is should be illegal. I heard that Monica Goodling was interviewing an applicant and asked "Other than President Bush name a conservative whom you admire," and the applicant chose Condoleezza Rice and Goodling frowned and said, "But she's pro-choice". I don't have a link to prove that so some will doubt it happened but I did hear it. I guess now we even have a litmus test to get hired for certain government jobs, never mind Supreme Court nominees!
Annie